Woman Has Chain Snatched Off Her Neck While Sitting At Light In Broad Daylight In Manhattan
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A red light robbery, in the middle of the day.
A Queens couple was attacked and robbed, while sitting in their stopped car, CBS2's Tara Jakeway reported Monday.
"Suddenly from nowhere a big hand came and hold my sweater and then rip my chain with my diamond," said victim "Martha" of Rego Park.
The 79-year-old Queens woman described the moments captured on video when the man reaches into her open car window and snatches a diamond necklace right off her neck.
"He pushed me like this and for a while I couldn't even hear from that side," Martha said.
Police said the woman was sitting in the passenger seat with her husband behind the wheel back on Sept. 14. They were stopped at a light on 17th Street and 6th Avenue in the Flatiron District when the two men seen on the surveillance footage approach the car and one lunges for her chain. She suffered bruises to her neck and out of fear refused to show her face on camera.
"I hope that they catch them," Martha said.
Police are looking for the suspect and the man he was with, who is seen on video wearing a red shirt. Both suspects are described as 40-45 years old. One is 6-foot, the other 5-9.
"I don't trust nobody. I don't know what to do," said Martha's husband, "Arnold," who also asked not to have his face shown on camera.
Arnold was also shaken by the incident that took place last Saturday at around 3:30 p.m.
"Now we try to not too often go out," Arnold said.
But when they do, "Now we close the windows," Martha said.
While she wore a different chain on Monday, one she said is not nearly as sentimental, Martha went about her normal daily activities. However, she said she's worried the two men will strike again.
"I hope they don't do it again, because it was a very bad experience," Martha said.
The suspects were last seen West 17th Street.
Martha said the necklace taken from her is irreplaceable. It was designed by her husband, who was a jeweler for many years and has since retired.